Evergreen Vardy’s far from tardy
BUT IT’S AGONY FOR JUSTIN
JAMES JUSTIN scored a screamer before being carried off as a late JamieVardy double secured Leicester’s win.
England hopeful James Maddison was absent ahead of Gareth Southgate naming his World Cup squad tomorrow.
But Justin, who won an England cap last June, underlined his ability with a fabulous opener.
The full-back, who can operate on both flanks, broke the deadlock in the 44th minute after cutting in off the right to curl in a left-foot strike.
The goal acted to deflate League Two Newport but Justin’s goal, his first in 21 months, was followed by calamity as he was carried off following a high challenge by Adam Lewis.
It is the latest blow for the defender, who was injured on international duty in the summer and suffered a serious knee problem last year.
Vardy, though, made sure of victory by heading the second and then rounding the goalkeeper for the third.
He celebrated to the away fans, who had earlier mocked the striker and his wife.
Vardy, 35, above, was one of seven changes while Jonny Evans and Wilfred Ndidi both returned after injury. Leicester had gone close on eight minutes when Vardy elected to square the ball to Ayoze Perez rather than shoot when through. Perez was making just his second start of the season and he also fired a shot over after a probing run. Visiting keeper Nick Townsend made his first save on 26 minutes from Harvey Barnes. Newport grew into the game as they began to string some passes together. But they were undone by Justin’s first goal since February 2021. Townsend made a good save in the 66th minute to tip a right-foot shot from Barnes over the bar.
But he could not keep out Vardy’s powerful 70th-minute header from Marc Albrighton’s cross.
The former England forward then bamboozled the Newport defence after going round Townsend in the 82nd minute.
LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Iversen 7; Justin 8 (Albrighton 62, 6), Evans 7, Faes 7 (Vestergaard 77), Thomas 7; Ndidi 7 (Braybrooke 74), Soumare 6 (Tielemans 62, 6); Perez 6 (Iheanacho 62, 6), Praet 6, Barnes 6; Vardy 7.
Goals: Justin 44, Vardy 70, 82.
NEWPORT (3-5-2): Townsend 8; Norman 6, Farquharson 6, Demetriou 6; Aaron Lewis 6, Dolan 6, Moriah-Welsh 6 (Bowen 77), Waite 6 (Nevers 69, 6), Adam Lewis 6 (Bright 90); Collins 5 (Evans 70, 6), Bogle 5 (Zimba 69, 6).